Vast scope of hotel industry in Pakistan: Irshad

LAHORE: Irshad B Anjum, Director Operations Faletti’s Hotel, Lahore’s life is a true success story, this humble man rises from the earth and reached the heights of skies and shines there like a star and becomes a role model for others to hard work, make struggle as passion always pays.
Talking to Daily The Business in an exclusive Interview, Irshad B Anjum said there was a vast cope of hotel industry in Pakistan and a lot of job opportunities being created in the hotel industry. Irshad said our Northern Areas are like paradise on the earth, we have streams, lush green valleys, beautiful water nullahs and rivers over there.
He said Switzerland is not more beautiful as compared to our Northern Areas (NAs) and the government should give proper attention to establish better road communication structure there, so that the tourists could not feel trouble while travelling and go to those areas easily. Northern Areas of Pakistan have special attraction for the tourists and a lot of land available there and the government should lease out that land to private sector so that good hotels be made there, Irshad suggested.
He said that Murree, Narran, Kaghan, Gilgit and other areas and like these can be developed for tourism, so that the people can enjoy the nature more and more. Massive good job opportunities could be created in Northern Areas by making good hotels there, he proposed. There are 140 hotels in Northern Areas, out of which 25 to 30 percent belong to the government. But the services are not good in these hotels, if those hotels are given to the private sector, then good facilities can be provided to the tourists, he asserted.
He said running hotels is not the job of the government, it is the job of the private sector. Irshad quoted the example of government institutions like railways, Steel Mills and other institutions, which are running in deficit and loss. Only the private sector can run the hotel industry in the best way, Irshad emphasised.
Irshad also requested the government to establish a university for the hotel industry so that the youth who want to join hotel industry can get education in Pakistan. In this way, we can save our lot of foreign exchange, because those young men who go to abroad for acquiring education in the hotel industry would remain in Pakistan and our foreign exchange will not go waste, he advised.
Irshad B Anjum further said that Lahore is the centre and the heart of Pakistan and more than four hotels are coming in Lahore very soon and Four Star hotels and Three Star hotels are need of the hour, especially after completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Irshad maintained.
He emphasised that there should be Five Star hotels’ facilities in Four Star and Three Star hotels, because the purchasing power of the people is reducing day-by-day. Whereas, it is the right of the customers to enjoy the Five Star hotels facilities in Four Star and Three Star hotels. He said the tourism is developing very fast in Pakistan, because 90 percent terrorism in Pakistan has been finished and due to this factor the tourism and investment is coming in Pakistan.
He said credit goes to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and to the Prime Minister Imran Khan for eradication of terrorism from Pakistan. Irshad said more dollars would come to Pakistan with more tourism and then there would be more prosperity in the country.
Regarding his personal life, Irshad terms all his successes as the gift of his parents’ blessings. He said everyday he comes out of his home to his job after reciting the Holy Quran and kissing the hands of his mother. He said, he is a blessed man that his mother and father both are alive and with the blessings of Allah they are hale and hearty. My mother is 86 years old and my father is 96. My parents are my life’s asset and everything, Irshad said emotionally.
Irshad said he always gives free hand and targets to his staff and after giving them targets, he encourages and motivates them in definitely achieving their targets. He said he always stands shoulder-to-shoulder with his staff and always look after their welfare and promote them so they can work happily and can give better results and become result-oriented people like me, he proudly said. He said he always wishes to look after his guests and make them happy by giving them best food and best facilities, because I think that our guests are like kings and we should treat our guests like kings. He said due to our guests we get our salaries, so our all guests are VIPs. This is the lifeline of the hotel as if we look after our guests and make them happy, then they would come again to our hotel.
He said he thinks himself a successful manager if my guests feel happy and satisfied. Irshad said we should have the art to provide ideal work place to staff and ideal environment for working. Hurdles, sufferings and obstacles do come in life and we should face them, he quoted his example by saying that I started my career as a water boy and reached to the post of General Manager and this was all the result of my hard struggle, commitment and passion.
He said behind every successful man there are his enemies, who push him to do hard work and hard struggle for achieving his goals. He said nothing is impossible in this life, everything is possible, but hard struggle always needed. Irshad said hard struggle, commitment and work is like worship and we should work like worship, because this is the best way of legitimate earning and best blessings from the Almighty Allah.
Irshad said he always does his every work after recitation of the Holy Quran and all hurdles automatically removed and finished. He advises the new generation to come to the hotel industry, it has a bright future, make it as a career and always give respect to your boss and give the respect to your teachers like father. At the end Irshad advises the youth if you have to achieve your goals, look after your parents and give them due respect, then success will kiss your feet.